A review by valandthegianttbr
Horse Barbie by Geena Rocero
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
what an inspiring story from a strong trans woman who has lived so much life!!
the strongest parts of this memoir for me were geena'scritical reflections about & comparisons between lgbtq+ experiences/rights in southeast asia vs the united states. it was a lot of new-to-me information & i think a celebrity memoir discussing lgbtq+ experiences outside of the us will do a lot to increase awareness about the intersections of queer & apida identities!!
it was especially interesting to learn about the trans pageant scene in the phillipines & the beginnings of geena's story, with a supportive family & strong community of fellow trans queens, embodied so much hope & boldness & queer filipino culture
this was much more educational & thoughtful than many other celebrity memoirs i've read, but there is still a good deal of "this wild thing happened -- can you believe it? okay moving on!" geena definitely shares moments of shame, fear, hurt, as well as vibrance, joy, & pride -- but these felt a little more surface-level rather than deeply explored in the wider context of her story
i did really like that this was a memoir told with more linear storytelling. even though growth is rarely linear, i think following a more straightforward timeline was effective in showing geena's journey within societal contexts of social attitudes, cultural moments, public figures, & legal policies. she is a good storyteller with lots of charisma (especially in the audiobook!) & a super readable conversational tone, but definitely focuses more on what happened than how it made her feel/contributed to her growth. she does a good job tying it all together in the epilogue though!!
i felt like i got to know geena so well from her story & narration -- we laughed, we cried (okay maybe not cried but at least got emotional), we had a blast together!! overall it was powerful to read geena's growth & journey towards becoming a highly visible trans asian woman & the twists & turns needed to get there
the strongest parts of this memoir for me were geena'scritical reflections about & comparisons between lgbtq+ experiences/rights in southeast asia vs the united states. it was a lot of new-to-me information & i think a celebrity memoir discussing lgbtq+ experiences outside of the us will do a lot to increase awareness about the intersections of queer & apida identities!!
it was especially interesting to learn about the trans pageant scene in the phillipines & the beginnings of geena's story, with a supportive family & strong community of fellow trans queens, embodied so much hope & boldness & queer filipino culture
this was much more educational & thoughtful than many other celebrity memoirs i've read, but there is still a good deal of "this wild thing happened -- can you believe it? okay moving on!" geena definitely shares moments of shame, fear, hurt, as well as vibrance, joy, & pride -- but these felt a little more surface-level rather than deeply explored in the wider context of her story
i did really like that this was a memoir told with more linear storytelling. even though growth is rarely linear, i think following a more straightforward timeline was effective in showing geena's journey within societal contexts of social attitudes, cultural moments, public figures, & legal policies. she is a good storyteller with lots of charisma (especially in the audiobook!) & a super readable conversational tone, but definitely focuses more on what happened than how it made her feel/contributed to her growth. she does a good job tying it all together in the epilogue though!!
i felt like i got to know geena so well from her story & narration -- we laughed, we cried (okay maybe not cried but at least got emotional), we had a blast together!! overall it was powerful to read geena's growth & journey towards becoming a highly visible trans asian woman & the twists & turns needed to get there